Filing-cabinet.



PATENTED JUNE 4, 1907.

F. w. TOBEY. FILING CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED JAILIB, 1905.

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FILING CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED M112, 1905.

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FRED W. TOBEY, ()l GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

FILING-CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 4, 1907.

Application filed January 12, 1905- Serial No. 240,813-

. and claimed.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cabinet constructed in accordance wity my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, showing the contained crates, partly drawn out and showing also the drawers contained in the crates drawn out for a further distance. Figs. 3 and 4 and 5 show respectively three forms of the crates to be contained within the cabinet and which crates themselves contain and carry the drawers or filing receptacles.

Filing cabinets have come to be a verynecessary article of office furniture. They are provided for the filing away not only of ordinary letters and correspondence, but for document files, check files, blank files, insurance files, generalstorage files, as well as for receiving a card index, and for many other analogous purposes. Each user of a filing cabinet requires that it should be varied in its structure and arrangement to suit his individual needs, and the amount and arrangement of the space devoted to each one of the different filing purposes is, according to the present methods of construction, determined by the user so as to make a complete structure to suit his use, and the factory is compelled to manufacture a correspondingly extensive line. I have found that practically I can meet all the requirements of these various filing devices by a system which first subdivides the cabinet into two or more equal spaces, each containing a crate, which crates may be interchanged with each other and then subdivides each crate into the drawers or other divisions which make it appropriate for'a s ecial purpose. t ree sizes of the outer or main cabinet are sufficient for all purposes and to be contained in the cabinet the user may select such crates as he wishes. I have found by actual experience in a factory largely devoted to this purpose, that under the present'system it is required to manufacture and carry two hundred and forty distinct pieces as its line of In this manner two or' filing cabinets in order to meet all demands; while with my system three or four sizes of outer or main cabinets and not over twentyfive different arrangements of the contents of the inner crates, making in all not over thirty distinct pieces, will cover the same field and just as thoroughly.

In the drawings I have shown the main cabinet by the letter A. This is divided into two or more equal interior spaces by 'parti' tions shown by the dotted lines in Fi 2, and

indicated by the letter H. I have sli own in the drawings three of these interior compartments, but there may be four or even a larger number. These compartments contain re spectively the crates B, C and 1). These crates are of equal size and shape and are interchangeable with each other, so that either one may be inserted into any one of the interior compartments of the cabinet. These crates differ from each other in their own interior arrangement. The crate B is constructed to carry four narrow drawers, each suitable for containing a card index and indicated by the letters E and F. The crate C is constructed to carry three comparatively shallow and flat drawers indicated by the letter G and the crate D is intended for two higher drawers indicated by the letter I. These three crates shown, with their suggested subdivisions, are typical of a series of such crates, each containing the various forms of filing devices above specified, or such other forms as may be required.

The crate B is provided with the combined guides and supports N and O for the filing receptacles, the crate l) is provided with the combined guides and supports J and K for the filing receptacles, and the crate is provided with the combined guides andsupports L and M for the filing receptacles. The purchaser may select a main cabinet I of proper size and select for this such crates as he specially wishes out of the complete line of crates which would be carried in stock. He may thus fit up his cabinet according to his special needs, and may, from time to time, at just the same cabinet to his changing needs, as by removing the card indeX file to some other place and filling its place with an additional correspondence file. He may also, from time to time, by additional cabinets and at any time, shift from one to another or rearrange the contained crates so as to meet his special desire.

I am aware that it is common to fit a crate carrying drawers or other subdivisions into a larger cabinet, or containing case, according to a special order given by a purchaser, but this requires special work by the factory or by a cabinet maker and 1 am not aware of any system of filing cabinets containing interchangeable and subdivided crates such as .l. have shown.

it is evident that the partitions H which I have shown as complete partitions, dividing the main frame into compartments, operate essentially as supportingmembers, slideways or guides for carrying the contained crates, and that they therefore constitute a series of primary supporting members, or slide-ways, peruumcntl y attached to the main frame and uniformly spaced from and with reference to each other. It is evident, also, that the elements which I have shown as complete crates with top, bottom and sides, operate essentially as secondary sup porting members for carrying the contained liling devices, being devices mounted on the primary supporting members and interchangeable therein, and they therefore become and are a series of secondary supporting elements or slideways operating as stated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to have invented and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination'of a filing cabinet comprising a complete permanent frame divided into two or more equal. compartments and crates interchangeable in these coinpartments, each crate containing and carrying filing receptacles.

2. A' filing cabinet comprising a complete permanent frame, a series of supporting members permanently attached thereto and spaced uniformly with reference to each other, a series of interchangeable elements adapted to be carried by the supporting members and interchangeable within the frame, guides carried by said interchangeable elements and filing devices mounted upon said guides.

3. The combination with a filin cabinet comprising a complete permanent frame divided into a plurality of compartments, of interchangeable crates mounted in each of said compartments and each having side, top and bottom walls, 'andfiling trays mounted in each of the crates.

4. The combination with a filin cabinet comprising a complete permanent frame divided into a plurality of compartments, of intercl:angeable crates mounted in said compartments and each comprising bottom, top and side walls and guides for filing receptacles,.and liling receptacles mounted in the crates. 5. A filing cabinet com rising a complete permanent frame divided into a plurality of com artinents, interchangeable crates mounter in each of said compartments and each having side, top and bottom walls, one of said crates having the interior thereof different from that of the other of said crates, and filing receptacles mounted. in each of the crates.

6. A filing cabinet comprising a com lete permanent frame, a series of primary s ideways permanently attached thereto and spaced uniformly in reference to each other, a series of interchangeable crates-mounted upon said primary shdeways, and filing devices carried by said crates. 7. A filing cabinet, comprising a complete permanent frame, a series of primary slideways permanently attached thereto and spaced uniformly with reference to each other, a series of removable secondary slideways adapted to be carried by the primary slideways, and to be interchangeable therein, and filing devices carried by such secondary slideways.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED W. TOBEY. Witnesses:-

EDWARD TAGGART, MARY S. TOOKER. 

